Alright so I moved my battery to the trunk and my electrical system is now grounded through the driver's side rear fender well. I have no problems with electrical conductivity. However, when I turn the car off, get out and go to touch the door to close it, it shocks me. It's not a little shock either. The spark arcs about 5" from the car to my hand. There seems to be a large build up of static electricity that wasn't there before the battery was moved. At first it wasn't that big of a deal but it seems to be getting worse. My g/f says her hand was numb for 10 minutes and a visible, 5" arc of electricity is not normal under any circumstances. I've tried grounding myself on something in the car before getting out but no luck. Has anyone experienced this? Better yet, does anyone know how to stop it?

 

What all wires do you have coming from your battery terminals?

 

Just positive and negative.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Unidentified &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Just positive and negative.</TD></TR></TABLE>

OK, well obviously.....what I mean is can you post the details. Where is each wire going and how many are there.

 

Oh, yeah, duh. Ok the negative is a 2g, about 3 feet long and runs to the innermost bolt on the driver's side rear upper control arm. The positive is a 2g, 15 feet long and runs under the rear driver's side interior panel, under the door sill, under the driver's side of the dash and finally through the firewall, behind the intake manifold and to the fuse box. It's crimped together with the starter power cable and then bolted in.

 

I'd sand a spot on the frame down to the metal and put the ground there.

 

I small electrical shock will get worse in the winter.

but a 5in arc does not sound like small. I would reground everything and if that doesn't work get those straps that run from the chassis to the ground. and dissipates static electricity.

 

Kind of a funny picture to think about him getting shocked every time he gets out of his car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by prelude252 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Kind of a funny picture to think about him getting shocked every time he gets out of his car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is a given for me 8 months out of the year. Whenever it gets below 50° and dry, I get the $*#@^& shocked out of me everytime I get out.

......but not a 5 inch arc, lol - that's just not good. I don't want your ungrounded *** pulling up next to me at the gas station.

Definitely grind that down or go with the straps. I saw some that actually use the static charge and light up as you go down the road (sad).

 

lol i gotta see this

stay away from the gas station for now

the best place to ground the battery in the trunk is the spare tire nub.....wire wheel the paint off and then bolt it on there....also, check to make sure that the positive wire's housing isnt open anywhere....

 

lol. i get shocked when ever the hummidity is low here in FL, but damn that would suck getting electricuted the way you are. Try picking a different ground.

 

I totaled my 95 si vtec and the rental I have does it to me everytime I get out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hawkze_2.3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd sand a spot on the frame down to the metal and put the ground there. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Did that when I first did the relocation.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Unidentified &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Did that when I first did the relocation.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmmm....maybe check your engine grounds and make sure they are all good. Sand and clean all the mounting points.

 

touch the body metal before getting out of the car

 

Lol, does this remind anyone of a 007 movie?

 

Interesting... Does it only shock you after you put your feet on the ground? What if you open the door and touch the body before putting your feet on the ground? You could spray the carpet/seats with that static cling remover. That will help put you at the same potential as the car while you're sitting in it. What if you touch the cigarette lighter (which is grounded to the chassis)? Do you have aftermarket suspension bushings? Most all tires have enough carbon that the car does not build up static while driving, but if the chassis is insulated from the tires and suspension it could build up a charge like airplanes do. I think this has more to do with cold dry air than a battery relocation. You didn't change anything on the ignition, like add a CDI or remove engine-chassis grounds, right?

 

It does only shock me after I put my feet on the ground but that just doesn't make sense to me. I don't touch anything (anymore) before I get out of the car and my shoes have a rubber sole. I've tried touching metal parts of the body, including the cigarette lighter before I get out; no luck. I have changed my suspension bushings a couple of times but they are OEM Honda. Maybe they're not the exact same as the factory ones but they are from the factory. As far as ignition causes, I have a JDM H22 that has been converted from internal to external coil but I had the motor long before moving the battery and never had a shock problem. The grounds in the engine bay are the same as before. Actually, a few extras have been added on the trans and block. The only other cause I can think of is that I have Corbeau seats which are made of that weird felt material and could possibly build up a static charge. But again, never had the problem before moving the battery. How could the battery relocation cause the seats to build more of a charge than before?

 

I would make sure that you have all the positive cables covered. When I had this problem, the bolt holding my battery(positive) cable to the starter had ground through the tape and was touching my frame. I covered it up really well...no more problem. I would also definitely get a good ground like everybody else has said.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BB2H22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Lol, does this remind anyone of a 007 movie?</TD></TR></TABLE>


reminds me of Office Space, if anything

 

I think one thing that a lot of people also pass up is having an inline fuse on the power cable, so you dont burn your car to a crisp if the housing peirces

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bb4ever &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think one thing that a lot of people also pass up is having an inline fuse on the power cable, so you dont burn your car to a crisp if the housing peirces</TD></TR></TABLE>

very good idea!

OP have you even tried moving the ground to a different point yet?

 

Yes. Since making the post, I've tried a different battery, moving the grounds, grounding myself. Taking my shoes off while driving. lol Nothing works. But it gets even weirder. Today it mysteriously stopped. I raised my numb right hand to close the door, braced myself for the shock and... nothing. I went back out to the grocery store and did the same thing. Nothing. Yes, it is warmer here today than it has been but when I originally did the relocation it was almost 75 degrees and it still shocked me. Then it cooled of to about 40 and still the same thing. I'll see if it comes back in the next few days.

 

Man, that is hilarious...despite the seriousness of the situation...

I grounded mine on the shock tower underneath one of the 3 nuts that hold the upper shock assembly to the chassis...and sanded it there, with like a 150 grit... I never had any shocks after that.

5" electrical arc...so you can see the electrcity? wow...


I always get shocked when I get out of my aunt's damn ford windstar...I've grown a phobia to touching car doors...I use my elbows to close **** now...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fish stick &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Man, that is hilarious...despite the seriousness of the situation...

5" electrical arc...so you can see the electrcity? wow...
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yeah at night, it's really bright, like my own personal lightning bolt.